Technically there are a lot of things more embarrassing than popping a shirt button when you're out, but few things are as annoying. So instead of trying to re-attach it by ducking into a bathroom with an unruly needle and thread, these Tic fasteners provide an instant and permanent solution to the problem.

Invented in Sweden by Karolina Rantfors, Ljubo Mrnjavac, and Mats Gabrielsson, the Tic looks like a staple remover, but the claw-like tool actually makes it easy to install plastic fasteners that permanently hold a button in place. You just align its fangs with the button's holes, squeeze it closed so the ends of the plastic rivets connect, and then twist off the applicator. The results are hard to distinguish from thread, and at $7.50 for a pack of four it sounds like an affordable alternative to an emergency trip to the tailor.